How did this Milwaukee bobblehead company capitalize so quickly on the Sister Jean sensation?

After quickly fashioning a rendering of a Sister Jean bobblehead, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum was able to start selling units ... and the demand was quite high.(Photo: Submitted photo)

No matter what happens next weekend, the star of the 2018 NCAA Tournament has already been solidified: it's 98-year-old nun Sister Jean, the team chaplain and spiritual guide for the Final Four-bound Loyola of Chicago men's basketball team.

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, a business based in Milwaukee (and finally getting a brick-and-mortar home base in April), was among those who took notice. But how was the organization capable of so quickly offering a Sister Jean bobblehead, which went up for pre-order Friday and is already on its way to 7,000 sales in three days?

"Timing is always critical, and our antennas are always up for new bobblehead ideas," said Phil Sklar, CEO and co-founder of the museum. "In this case, (co-founder) Brad Novak saw a story in The Chicago Tribune on Thursday about Loyola-Chicago looking to remake a Sister Jean bobblehead. He reached out to Tom Sorboro from Loyola, who was quoted in the article, to see if they would be interested in collaborating on the bobblehead. As soon as they expressed interest, we had our graphic designer expedite the rendering."

When Loyola, a program that hadn't appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 1985, made the stunning surge into the Final Four with wins Thursday and Saturday, it sent Sister Jean's already sky-high profile into orbit. In a matter of mere days, she became the highest-selling bobblehead in Sklar's collection.

The three Watt brothers (from left) T.J., J.J. and Derek are portrayed in a bobblehead produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
Submitted photo by National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum

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"We quickly added Loyola-Chicago to our approved list of schools for licensing purposes and submitted the design as a rush," Sklar said. "It is certainly the quickest we’ve done a project, but I think a lot of that was possible because we are so focused and a nimble team.

"I think the same goes for Loyola and their dedicated staff that has been working around the clock as well with all of the madness surrounding their unexpected run and the global outpouring of love for Sister Jean."

Loyola has previously produced a Sister Jean bobblehead, first given away at a game in 2011 and then remade for sale at the Loyola art museum in 2015. But supply quickly ran out, and Sklar said Loyola was looking for an updated version.

"This version will feature Sister Jean in the signature scarf with her Loyola warm-up jacket and even include the 'Sister' and 'Jean' on the back of her shoes," Sklar said.

Sklar said the previous version of the Sister Jean bobblehead was selling for more than $300 before the new product came along. The new batch are selling for $25 apiece plus $8 for shipping in June.

"We were already an approved Learfield licensee, so we just had to add Loyola," Sklar said.

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Phil Sklar's tips on getting your bobblehead collection started. Sklar is the co-founder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
Sherman Williams/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Learfield manages brands for nearly 130 universities around the nation, including the University of Wisconsin. The client list includes 26 universities in "Power Five" conferences.

Recent examples of the museum's work have been U.S. curling gold medalist Matt Hamilton and the Watt brothers of Pewaukee, first in Wisconsin Badgers gear and then in their respective NFL uniforms.

Sklar's unit has jumped on an opportunity before. The Bobblehead Museum has also produced a bobblehead of Villanova's "Piccolo Girl," Roxanne Chalifoux, after she became a viral sensation following her somber reaction to Villanova's loss in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament to N.C. State.

Georgia State coach Ron Hunter, who watched his son hit a game-winning basket in a first-round game in 2015 from a stool because he tore his Achilles tendon celebrating his team's NCAA Tournament berth, is captured falling off his stool in another bobblehead.

"We moved quickly on those (not as quickly as Sister Jean) and both did well, but nothing at this level," Sklar said.

The National Bobblehead Museum and Hall of Fame expects to open its location at 170C S. 1st St. in Milwaukee (above Stack'd and Colectivo) next month.